Department of Economics, Finance & Quantitative Analysis

James Tompkins is a founding member of Kennesaw State University’s Corporate Governance Center where he has served as Director of Board Advisory Services since 1999. He is also a Professor of Finance at Kennesaw State University and serves on the Board of Trustees for Life University.

James has been working with Boards and Senior Management in a variety of in-depth corporate governance consulting assignments since 1999. His experience with Boards and top Management includes working with transitioning Board structures through periods of high growth, facilitating and developing optimal governance policies and practices, designing and teaching corporate governance education seminars, serving as expert witness and assisting in expert witness preparation, designing the processes and conducting Board and Committee evaluations, and advising on other corporate governance issues unique to the client. James has governance-consulting experience with both publicly traded and nonprofit companies as well as quasi-governmental organizations. He has provided governance-consulting services in different industries, serving both small and large companies. In 2008 he served as the Corporate Governance expert witness in a major lawsuit against Enron. James also has international experience in governance and has designed and provided governance education in both Romania and Greece. James has published in the area of corporate governance and ethics in books and has written for the NACD’s Directorship as well as Directors and Boards. He is an active academic researcher in corporate governance and corporate finance, and has authored both research papers and cases in these areas. In 2010, NACD’s Directorship listed James as one of 34 “People to Watch” in corporate governance. The magazine recognized “a short list of movers and shakers who merit serious attention as potential boardroom influentials”.

In addition to corporate governance consulting, James has been very successful with his academic career. He was the Michael J. Coles College of Business recipient of the "Outstanding Scholar” award for the 1999/2000 academic year, the “Outstanding Service” award for the 2000/2001 academic year, and the winner of Kennesaw State University’s “Distinguished Graduate Teaching” award for the 2004/2005 academic year. In 2007, he received a Senior Specialist Fulbright Scholarship in Greece where he conducted research and lectured on Corporate Governance.

James received his Bachelor of Science with honors from the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Upon graduation in 1979 he worked his way up to Chief Officer on unlimited tonnage ocean-going vessels. In 1986 he earned his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business with a major in Finance. In 1987 he began working for FMC, a multinational conglomerate, and advised the Board of Directors and Management on major capital budgeting decisions. In 1989 he began his Ph.D. in Finance and graduated from the Ohio State University in 1994 when he joined Kennesaw State University. James is married to his wife Angela and together they live in the Atlanta area with their two children Clare and Philip.